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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031955291 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • markwoody_claimofficer@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Diana John" <uk24lottery@msn.com>
Reply-To: markwoody_claimofficer@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 02:51:49 +0000
Subject: Prize Notification: Ref Nr: PBL/CN/6654/CP

The Lottery Department
Lotto24 ApS
Haandvaerkervej 8,1
DK-9000 Aalborg
CVR-nr. 25554493
www.lotto24.co.uk

AWARD NOTIFICATION

This is to inform you that have been selected for a cash prize of
£2,600,000.00(Two Million, Six Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds)
International programs held on the 31th of April, 2005 in the London Uk.

The selection process was carried out through random selection in our
computerized email selection system(ess) from a database of over 250,000
email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world. This Lotto24
is approved by the British Gaming Board and also Licensed by the The
International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR). This promotional
lottery is the tenth of its kind and we intend to sensitize the public.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims officer
through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below: Mr.Mark Woody,

Haandvaerkervej 8,1
DK-9000 Aalborg
United Kingdom

E-mail: markwoody_claimofficer@yahoo.com
Tel No: +44-703-1955-291

Contact Name: Officer Mr.Mark Woody

Time to call (10am to 5pm london time)contact him, please provide him
with your secret pin code x7pwyz2005 and your Ref Nr: PBL/CN/6654/CP
.You are also advised to provide him with the under listed information
when contacting him:

Claims Requirements:


1. Name in full-------------------------------------------------------

2. Address------------------------------------------------------------

3. Nationality--------------------------------------------------------

4. Age-----------------------------------------------------------------

5. Occupation----------------------------------------------------------

6. Phone/Fax-----------------------------------------------------------

7. Present Country-----------------------------------------------------


If you do not contact your claims agent within 7 working days of this
notification,your winnings would be revoked. Winners are advised to
keep their winning details/informationfrom the public to avoid fraudulent
claim (IMPORTANT)pending the transfer/claimby Winner.

Accept my hearty congratulations once again!

Regards

Mrs Diana John.

Lottery Manager.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam